


Finding Home

by Mismatchedsocks01



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Episode Reference, Episode Related, First Kiss, Fluff, Happy Ending, I'm Kind of a Sap, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-07
Updated: 2016-07-07
Packaged: 2018-07-22 05:14:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,873
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7421353
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mismatchedsocks01/pseuds/Mismatchedsocks01
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When there are a limited number of rooms available on a case in Alaska, something is bound to happen. But what neither Hotch nor Reid expected was how great that thing would be, and how their lives might change.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Finding Home

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for all the support I received on my other works, I'm just glad that at least someone seems to like reading what I write. So, thanks!

Reid could already tell this case in Alaska wasn’t going to be one of the easiest ones, or one of the ones that didn’t trigger bad memories for any of the team. He also knew that the conditions, in terms of both weather and accommodation, weren’t going to be ideal and was already regretting not bringing more jumpers or thermal clothing.

What he wasn’t expecting however, or rather had been hoping both for and against, was the availability of only four rooms. When this was announced, he couldn't help the glimmer of hope that shot through him, disguised by an exclamation of disappointment, nor could he help the way he surreptitiously glanced at Hotch, quickly averting his gaze when Hotch’s eyes met his.

With four rooms, he knew there was a high probability of having to share and knew he would probably be forced to room with Morgan, so when he quickly asserted that this would not be the case, Reid’s thrill at the narrowing of his potential roommates prevented him from feeling hurt at the potential rejection by his best friend, which was further avoided by Garcia claiming ‘Dibs’. Reid knew then that JJ and Prentiss would be sharing, which left Hotch, Rossi and himself to split the remaining two rooms.

He snuck a glance at Hotch again before following the group upstairs, where he felt a rush of both excitement and trepidation as Rossi claimed seniority, in age if not in rank, leaving the last room for Hotch and Reid to share.

Hotch smiled at him and lead the way to the end of the corridor, where their room lay, before opening the door and letting Reid in first. He stopped suddenly just inside the threshold, causing Hotch to collide with his back. That didn’t matter though at that moment in time as he stood staring at the lone double bed in front of him, cursing his foul luck at having to room with the object of his affections, the person who he’d been dancing round something with until Foyet killed Haley. Now he didn’t know what to do. He started as a hand grasped his shoulder and a deep voice rumbled from behind him.

“Are you okay, Reid?” Hotch asked.

“I’m fine, Hotch.” Reid reassured.

“Why did you stop then?” Hotch asked, trailing off as he too took in the sight of the lone bed. “I’ll take the floor if you're uncomfortable with sharing.”

“No!” Reid exclaimed a little too quickly, his face flushing beet red as he rushed to cover for his last statement, stumbling through his explanation as Hotch raised an eyebrow. “This place is freezing Hotch and the floor isn’t going to be warm enough to sleep on. Besides, we need to be at our best so we can get out of here and go back to the land of central heating, and that isn’t going to happen with you tired and with a sore back. It’s fine, Hotch. Well, if you’re okay with it, it is.”

Hotch gave a stifled laugh, but had to admit Reid’s reasoning was logical. However, the problem definitely wasn’t that he was uncomfortable sharing with Reid. In fact, the opposite was true - he was more than a little too comfortable with the idea. Instead of sharing this with Reid, he responded with a simple “I’m fine with it if you are” and, once Reid replied with the affirmative, went about moving his things around the room and carrying out his regular nightly routine in an effort to settle both himself and Reid.

This had the desired effect, and by the time they had finished and were ready for bed, the atmosphere on the room was much less tense, with tiredness washing over them both and encouraging them towards sleep as they both settled awkwardly in bed.

Reid breathed in deeply, inhaling Hotch’s scent as it mixed with his own and revelling in the heat given off by the man beside him, wishing to be in his arms. Hotch settled comfortably next to him, whispering a quiet “Goodnight, Reid” to the man beside him and waiting for his response before settling down to sleep and trying to resist the urge to pull Reid close and hold him tight.

Both quickly descended into a dreamless sleep, their nightmares soothed away by the knowledge that the one they cherished so dearly was safe by their side.

However, this peace didn’t last forever, as both men were rudely awoken in the early hours of the morning by Morgan hammering on their door with the news of a new victim and ‘something about Garcia’. Hotch shouted back that they’d be out in a moment, before turning back to Reid as Reid rubbed his eyes and turned to face him, both realising at the same time the position they had found themselves in.

Hotch was lay flat on his back with an arm wrapped around Reid’s shoulders from underneath, the other arm curled almost possessively across his waist. Reid himself had his arms over Hotch’s broad chest and his head pillowed on a shoulder, with his legs comfortably entwined with his boss’.

Taking this in, both flushed slightly before quickly moving apart, with Reid stuttering apologies all the while. Hotch took pity on him, assuring him that it was all okay but neglecting to mention just how much more than okay it was, before heading into the bathroom to wash before going to talk to Morgan.

As he left the room, Reid took the opportunity to sink back onto the bed with a groan of humiliation, mortified to have revealed his most secret desires even in sleep. Even through his embarrassment though, he couldn't deny how good it had felt to have been held against that strong chest, how warm it had been while he was held in those arms.

***   ***   ***

After both were ready, they had headed out to see what had happened and the rest of the day had passed rapidly in a whirlwind of searches and detainees, followed by a restless night that, though spent working frantically, still heralded the death of another citizen, then yet another day in which they ran on too much caffeine and too little sleep in order to find Owen before he met his end at the hands of a hunting party of angry locals.

At the end of it all they had managed to escape with what could just about be considered a win, but were all grateful and eager to go home. However, this wasn’t to be. The float plane couldn’t come back to pick them up until tomorrow, and so they had to spend another night at the inn.

Given the position they had found themselves in the previous morning, Reid was a jumble of nervous anticipation when they returned to the room, waiting to see if Hotch wold bring up what happened or change the sleeping plans, or if he would get another night to spend beside the man he loved, another night in which he could pretend the circumstances were different, that the man beside him loved him back and they could be together.

Hotch didn’t know what to do, and so once again hid his uncertainty behind the pretence of nightly routines and paperwork, trying not to focus on how great it had felt to wake with the man he had loved for so long in his arms, wrapped around him in sleep, how good it had felt to pretend even for just a moment that those feelings were returned.

All too soon, they ran out of options and distractions with which to prevent the inevitable, and so were forced to retire to bed so they would be well-rested for the flight home the following day and to face the stacks of paperwork that had undoubtedly grown like a fungus across their desks even in the few short days they’d been absent.

As they settled underneath the covers, huddled close for extra warmth in the harsh Alaskan weather, each silently thanked and cursed whatever force had pushed them into this situation, while wishing beyond belief that the other would feel the same.

***   ***   ***

Hotch was woken in the middle of the night by a soft whimpering from next to him, little noises of pain that immediately had him on high alert and worried for the man who once again lay in his arms. He shifted slightly and turned to face Reid, drawing him nearer and rocking him gently to soothe him, gently pressing his lips to Reid’s forehead while he still had the chance before Reid fully woke, whispering softly in his ear about everything and anything, trying to provoke memories of happier times in the hope that they would cancel out, and replace, the bad.

Reid was once again on that street in Texas, facing down yet another Owen, yet another Unsub much too similar to himself, when he felt himself begin to drift back to consciousness, feeling the chaste press of soft, dry lips to his forehead and hearing the sound of a familiar deep voice whispering softly in his ear, telling tales of warmth and comfort, revealing hushed secrets that he had longed to hear for such a long time, feelings he returned wholeheartedly.

He snuggled deeper into the warm chest in front of him, alerting the older man to his wakeful state and causing the whispers to cease, which provoked a groan of complaint from Reid before he lifted his head and responded in kind, breathing his agreement to the words against Hotch’s lips with a muttered “I love you too” before pressing his lips to Hotch’s and revelling in the way his stomach flipped and they both sank into the embrace, a sense of peacefulness settling across him as one word sprung to mind, the rest of his thoughts finally tumbling away.

_Home_. He was home.

Hotch was somewhat startled when Reid nuzzled into his chest, uncertain as to how much he had heard, how much he had given himself away. So when Reid lifted his head and responded to his words, his heart stopped for several beats before kicking into overdrive as he registered the soft lips pressed against his and sank into the connection, cradling Reid in his arms as he mentally cheered at having finally got what he had desired for such a long time. When he had realised that while he loved Haley but was no longer _in_ love with her, an emptiness had grown within his heart that had only expanded on her death. However, while kissing Reid in a bed in rural Alaska, this space shrunk to minuscule proportions. There was only one word to describe such a feeling, a word Hotch hadn't known in a long time.

_Whole_. He felt whole again.

And while both were well aware of the risks and challenges they would face, they knew it would be more than worth it to keep those precious feelings in their hearts for as long as they both could. Because such feelings were rare, and to be treasured because they knew now more than ever, that they could face anything life could throw at them, as long as they faced it together.


End file.
